Terror alert sounded across Tamil Nadu

June 05, 2009 13:27 IST

With the Intelligence Bureau sounding an alert about possible terror strikes in southern cities, the Tamil Nadu police has put in place a preventive mechanism, even though no specific warning has been received by the state.

"We have not received any specific alert (about any terror strike). There is a general alert and we have put in proper prevention mechanism in place," State Assistant Director General of Police (Law and Order) K Radhakrishnan said.

An alert was sounded in Hyderabad on Thursday following inputs from IB that three LeT terrorists have entered the country and are planning to strike important cities of south India. Intelligence officials pointed out that the alert was not specific to Chennai but the metropolis was considered a 'vulnerable target' of terrorists.

The alert was issued fearing 'possible retaliation' by Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists for India's objection to the release of the outfit's leader Hafiz Saeed, prime suspect in the Mumbai terror strikes, they said.

Last year, an intelligence alert had been issued to Tamil Nadu, saying the LeT could attack five major places of Hindu worship, but the police had played it down, saying it was a 'regular' alert.

A local terror module, including its mastermind Ali Abdullah and a key operative Abdul Gaffoor, was busted in the city last year. The group had planned to bomb key installations in Chennai and Tirunelveli.